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Tag: Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT).

  • Domestic and Sexual Violence: Lagos monarchs lead walk

    Domestic and Sexual Violence: Lagos monarchs lead walk

    Worried by incessant cases of sexual assault and violence against women, two traditional rulers in Lagos State on Thursday led a walk by the people against the crime on the Lekki-Epe Expressway and major streets in the area.

    The rulers — Olu of Epe, Oba Sefiu Adewale and the Oloja of Epe, Oba Kamorudeen Animashaun — who displayed placards with the inscriptions, “Say No to Rape, Domestic Violence, Child Abuse”,  called on the authorities to put an end to the crimes.

    The monarchs said they were incensed by all forms of gender-based violence in the community and the state, insisting that the full weight of the law must be slammed on perpetrators of sexual crimes.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that security personnel including Police, State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA), the Nigeria Legion and members of the National Youth Service Corps, also participated in the walk.

    Oba Adewale said: “To curb the menace, the government should stop child abuse by parents. They should protect the young ones safe against all forms of attack and hawking especially by the girl-child, who should still be in school.

    “A committee will be set up to look into such cases and we shall work in partnership with the Lagos State Government.

    “Offenders should not be spared and l believe that the way forward is to continuously engage the various communities to prevent and respond to all forms of gender-based violence.”

    On his part, Oba Animashaun urged the people to be “faithful ambassadors and armies” in the fight against domestic and sexual violence.

    The Coordinator of the State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT), Mrs Vivour Adeniyi, said the walk was organised as part of efforts to sensitize the community to rise up against the crimes.

    “We want the people of Epe to know that the law on rape, sexual assault and gender-based violence now carry stiff penalties or punishments and that offenders will not go unpunished.

    “Our message to the people is to `Say No to Rape, Domestic Violence and Child Abuse’ and my advice to parents is that they should be more vigilant and fellowship with their children and also show love to them.

    “They should be encouraged to express themselves without fear,” she told NAN, asking the people to report such crimes promptly.

    “Domestic violence is a crime and should be reported by calling the hotline 112, and we will come after them.”

    The Iyaloja of Epe, Alhaja Mulikat Onibon, advised spouses to be mutually respectful and submissive and also learn to understand themselves.

    “Couples should learn to understand themselves and be patient with one another to avoid violence in the home.

    “Domestic violence starts from the home and family unit and this makes the children to be violent afterwards.

    ” Parents should desist from abusing their children in any form,” she said.

    The head of all chiefs in the area, Alhaji Wasiu Ajumoko, suggested public disgrace for sex offenders such as rape before they are prosecuted and sentenced by the courts.

    “Rape and all forms of violence against women are not good and God is against it.”

    Mrs Oyimba Islar,  a teacher and representative of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) at the rally, urged parents to ensure that their daughters dress decently and moderately.

    “Child abuse and rape are serious crimes and we will support the government to curb such crimes in our schools and the society.”

    A primary five pupil, 11-year-old Okechukwu Chibike, who also participated in the walk, said the courts should impose stiffer punishment on sexual offenders, suggesting life imprisonment across the country.

  • Man held for enticing underage girls to fondle his manhood

    A 36-year-old man (name withheld), who allegedly enticed some underage girls to pat his sexual organ affectionately for N500, was on Friday in Lagos nabbed, according to the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT).

    The suspect was apprehended by some residents of Silver Crescent Estate, Oke-Afa in Isolo area of Lagos.

    The Coordinator of the team, Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi,  told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the agency’s intervention followed a report by residents of the community.

    DSVRT is a collection of professional service providers and officials that respond as a group and in a timely fashion to the various needs of domestic and sexual violence survivors by providing legal, medical and emergency assistance.

    It also provides counselling and psychological and psycho-social support as well as encourage and create unprecedented level of collaboration among professionals working to end sexual and gender-based violence.

    To report domestic and sexual violence as well as other gender-based abuses, the agency has advertised the following numbers — 112, 08137960048 and 07032165181.

     Vivour-Adeniyi said:“The man was nabbed on July 27 at 8.00 a.m. in the community;  some young girls in the area said they once reported the case to a woman in the neighbourhood, who alerted other residents to watch out for such acts and strange faces in the area.

    “Luck ran out of the man on Thursday morning when one of the young girls in the area sighted him in the street and called the attention of some residents.

    “The suspect, who said he had a shop at Ladipo in Mushin, blamed it on the devil.”

    “The residents asked him to call his relatives which he did and his wife and children arrived at the scene.

    “The Divisional Police Officer, following a distress call by the community, took the suspect accompanied by his wife and children, the girl that identified him and others to the station,” she said.

    Vivour-Adeniyi said after investigation had been concluded, the agency would prosecute the suspect in court. (NAN)m

  • Sustained awareness will address issues of child abuse – Activist

    Sustained awareness will address issues of child abuse – Activist

    A Child’s Rights Activist, Mr Taiwo Akinlami, has called for a consistent and sustained campaign toward addressing issues affecting child abuse.

    Akinlami, also the Secretary-General, Child Protection Network, an NGO, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos.

    He spoke following the upgrading of 40 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) by the Lagos State Government.

    NAN reports that the state government had on June 26 announced the upgrading of 40 PHCs across the state to ensure that victims of all forms of sexual assault and abuse received adequate medical assistance.

    Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, the Coordinator of the state Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT), had said that the centres were empowered to render 24 hours service.

    According to her, the services include laboratory testing, HIV Counselling and Testing, Maternal and Child Health Services.

    Akinlami said: “It is a commendable development; because one of the challenges we have in addressing matters of sexual abuse is lack of prompt medical attention.

    “The courts do not accept medical reports from the private hospitals, but only government-owned hospitals, which are not many.

    “It takes a lot of times before the government hospitals can attend to victims of sexual abuse and in the process the evidence will be tampered with.

    “So, it is commendable that the Lagos State Government has upgraded these PHCs to handle those issues.

    “This will improve on the service delivery when it comes to child abuse and other abuses; the strength of this is that people need to be aware.

    “Therefore, there has to be mass enlightenment programmes; these efforts will help us to find a credible way forward when it comes to the protection of children against abuse.’’

    Akinlami, also commended the directive by the Lagos State Government to schools, health facilities, orphanage homes and recreational centres that they should adopt a Child Protection Policy.

    NAN reports that Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode had on Jan. 14, in an executive order, directed relevant organisations to adopt the policy to safeguard children against any form of abuse.

    Akinlami said: “Enlightenment will achieve prevention of any form of child abuse, because the executive order says we are taking seriously what the Child Rights Act of 2007 has provided for.

    “The main focus is to enjoin every child-focused organisation including schools, hospitals and orphanages to enforce child protection system.

    “However, we recognise that enlightenment is superior to enforcement; so, for the law to be enforced there has to be awareness.

    “If the law is supposed to govern people, it is important that people are aware of it. “

     

  • Lagos upgrades 40 PHC Centres to cater for sexual assault case

    Lagos upgrades 40 PHC Centres to cater for sexual assault case

    …Trains Health Workers

    In a renewed effort to ensure that victims of all forms of sexual assault receive adequate medical assistance, the Lagos State Government has upgraded 40 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across the State to cater for all related cases.

    This is just as the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT) in partnership with the Ministry of Health and the Primary Health Care Board, has stepped up efforts to implement the already launched the Sexual Assault Standing Order and Sexual Assault Evidence Examination Kit also known as rape kits.

    Coordinator of DSVRT, Mrs. Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi who spoke at a recent training session for health workers of PHCs, said the Centres have been empowered to render 24-hour service, laboratory testing, HIV Counselling and Testing, and Maternal and Child Health Services.

    She said participants at the training were drawn from 10 areas including Agege Local Government Area (LGA), Orile Agege Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Ajeromi Ifelodun LGA, Ifelodun LCDA, Apapa LGA, Apapa Iganmu LCDA, Badagry LGA, Olorunda LCDA, Ibeju Lekki LGA and Lekki LCDA.

    She said the continuous trainings and upgrade of health facilities was in furtherance of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s desire to ensuring that all survivors of sexual assault, irrespective of class or means, can receive comprehensive medical care at no cost.

    She recalled that the rape kits, also known as Sexual Assault Evidence Examination Kits were launched in 2016 and are currently available at all comprehensive PHC Centres.

    “The Rape Kits contain the necessary instruments used for evidence examination some of which include microscope slides, saline water, swabs, materials for blood samples, comb, paper sheets for evidence collection such as clothing fibres and hairs, nail pick, gloves. The documentation forms which include the consent form and Patient History/ Sexual Assault History are also included in the rape kit,” Vivour-Adeniyi said.

    She expressed optimism that the training would ultimately improve the quality and documentation of evidence collection for sexual assault patients.

    According to her, the training was organised by the Lagos State DSVRT with technical support from United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

    “In the unfortunate case of a sexual assault, members of the public are advised to go to the closest comprehensive Primary Health Care Centre to receive optimal care,” the DSVRT Coordinator said.

  • Court restrains husband from coming close to wife for 12 months

    Court restrains husband from coming close to wife for 12 months

    Magistrate (Mrs) Sule Amzat of a Lagos state Magistrate court sitting in Ogudu, Ojota, has restrained one Mr. Jonathan Emoghase  from coming anywhere close to his wife and mother of his three children, Janet Ojeikere for the next 12 months over alleged incessant physical assault.

    The order which was obtained from the family court last Thursday stated that Mr Emoghase would go to jail for three months if he is found to have disobeyed the order of the court.

    The order of the court was sequel to the request of his wife, Janet, made through the Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT).

    DSVT Coordinator, Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi told the Nation that sometimes in February, Janet Ojeikere, reported a case of physical assault and threat to life by her husband, Mr Jonathan Emoghase.

    The incident was said to have happened at their residence, 6 Funmilayo Close, Clemedu Awojaya, Ikeja at about 7. 00 p.m. on January 24.

    Janet alleged that her husband, Jonathan, has been physically assaulting her since she married him three years ago.

    She claimed that the last time her husband physically assaulted her, she hit her with a stick repeatedly while threatening to kill her.

    Janet reported the matter at the Lagos State DSVRT which referred her to the Family Support Unit (FSU) Ketu Police Station which later arrested her husband and charged him to court.

    Emoghase was arraigned last Thursday before Magistrate Sule O. Amzat of the family court, Ogudu, Ojota on a two count charge of assault and threat to kill Janet Ojeikere.

    The two count charge stated in part; “that you, Jonathan Emoghase, on 24th January 2017 at about 1900 hours at No 6 Funmilayo Close, Celemadu Awojaya in Ikeja magisterial district did assault one Janet Ojeikere by beating her up and thereby committed an offence  punishable under section 170 of the  Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015”.

    Count two of the charge stated that Jonathan Emoghase, on the same date, threatened tom kill Janet Ojeikere by using a stick to beat and wound her and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 230 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.

    He pleaded not guilty to the two count charge preferred against him by the Police and was subsequently granted bail in the sum of N10, 000.00 by the trial magistrate, Amzat.

    Same day, the wife, Janet Ojeikere requested for a restraining order against her husband, pursuant to the provisions of the  Lagos State Prevention Against Domestic Violence Law, 2007 bearing in mind that her husband had promised to kill her.

    Magistrate Amzat granted her request for a restraining order against Mr. Emoghase and barred him from coming anywhere close to the complainant for the next one year, of which failure to comply will earn him a minimum of three months’ imprisonment.

    Reacting to the decision of the family court, DSVRT Coordinator, Mrs Vivour-Adeniyi urged survivors of domestic violence and members of the public not to keep quiet when assaulted assuring that there is help for them especially at the Family Courts of Lagos State.